Coastal holiday park with growth potential

The upcoming sale of a holiday park business that for decades has wooed holidaymakers and beach lovers from New Zealand and abroad offers new owners the chance to ride a wave of growth.

Located metres from Perehipe Beach on Northland’s stunning Karikari Peninsula, Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Holiday Park is a popular base for world-class fishing, golfing and vineyards. Renowned Carrington Estate golf course and Karikari Estate winery are minutes away, and the waters off the peninsula are famed for record striped marlin catches.

Whatuwhiwhi is the nearest Top 10 holiday park to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga, and within easy reach of the Bay of Islands, making the site a gateway to some of the country’s top natural attractions.

The park combines sweeping views across Doubtless Bay with modern facilities and diverse accommodation offerings – ranging from self-contained chalets, villas and motel units to family studios, kitchen cabins, and powered and non-powered campervan and tent sites.

This enables the business to tap into a broad visitor market, from families and groups to fishing enthusiasts, lifestyle escape seekers, and luxury self-drive tourists. An existing resource consent, valid until 2032, enables further expansion by developing a vacant area with 15 new chalet units.

The land, buildings, business and chattels sustaining Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Holiday Park, located at 15 Whatuwhiwhi Road, Karikari Peninsula, Northland, are now being offered to new owners as a freehold going concern. Sale is by negotiation, through Wayne Keene, Eddie Rizarri and Gary Lucus of Bayleys Real Estate.

The sale comes as New Zealand’s holiday park sector undergoes a sharp recovery, with 2025 marking the strongest rebound since borders reopened post-Covid 19. The sector now accounts for around a quarter of all commercial guest nights nationwide.

Bayleys hotels, tourism and leisure sales national director, Wayne Keene, says the business offers the chance to capitalise on strong domestic and growing international holiday park demand.

“This profitable, long-established tourism business combines income backed by strong occupancy and loyal clientele, with excellent long-term growth potential which is both business-specific and sector driven. Originally a family-run coastal campground, it has established itself as a leading Northland holiday destination.

“Now part of the trusted nationwide Top 10 network, and run by one full-time manager, the park has attracted a multitude of repeat customers over its three decades of hospitality heritage. Combined with quality facilities, this makes it a proven, reputable tourism asset in an idyllic location,” Keene says.

Beyond guest units, the extensive well-maintained buildings and infrastructure include communal kitchens, TV lounge and laundry, a staff unit, barbecue areas, and specialist facilities for cleaning fish and washing and launching boats.

Rizarri says these are underpinned by an expansive residential-zoned freehold landholding of approximately 2.43 hectares, which includes plentiful car parking and an area for parking boats.

“Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Holiday Park offers a turnkey operation with a long track record of profitability. Its diverse accommodation, contemporary facilities, and waterfront views position it strongly in the New Zealand holiday park market,” says Rizarri.

Lucas says the business comes with various avenues for new owners to explore to add further revenue, through the likes of enhanced marketing, off-season promotions, and further development of amenities – including adding the consented chalets.

“With access to a resilient tourism sector, a highly desirable location, and the well-regarded Top 10 brand, this business is the epitome of an attractive investment opportunity,” Lucas says.

Sector statistics show that holiday parks and campgrounds remain a cornerstone of the country’s accommodation landscape. Northland stands out as a key beneficiary of the sector’s momentum, with year-round occupancy of the region’s holiday parks and campgrounds generally higher than the national average, according to Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment figures.

Keene says Northland’s consistent occupancy and repeat visitation is underpinned by its diverse mix of coastal and adventure tourism, combined with extended visitor stays.

“Looking ahead, continued growth in visitor arrivals, infrastructure investment, and a rising preference for outdoor accommodation position this region for sustained expansion,” Keene says.